From all accounts, Don Robertson was the heart and soul of the Gold King Mine in Jerome, AZ. Robertson, along with his wife Terry, spent 30 years building the mine to the collection that exists today.

One of the highlights of the collection, is the 1928 Studebaker Indy race car, built by Robertson himself. Don raced the car in vintage races around the west.

My Kiwi friend visited the Gold King Mine a few years ago, and Don started up the old Studebaker for him.

“He was a big-hearted soul with a side of orneriness,” said Jerome Police Chief Alan Muma. “He had this Indian motorcycle with a really loud motor. To stay out of trouble, he’d ask me, ‘Get your sound meter out and check me’ and as long as he kept his hand off the throttle, he would stay out of trouble.”

The historic Gold King Mine, is located where Haynes, AZ once stood. The suburb of Jerome, was home to the Haynes Copper Company, which dug a 1200 foot shaft looking to find copper. The copper strike was minor, but the gold that was found was not.

It was around 30 years ago, when Don Robertson bought the old, played-out mine. One mining shack remained, the bunk house. That, and the mine shafts. Robertson immediately started to drag in trucks, machinery and equipment. The result of this love affair with all things mechanical, is the Gold King Mine, Museum & Ghost Town.

It is quite the collection. From massive generators, to chainsaws, to Fords & Studebakers, if it once ran, it’s now here.

I could have easily spent an entire day here, but the trails were not the easiest for my Dad to travel. Still, I was able to mingle with the equipment for a decent amount of time.

Robertson must have had a thing for Studebakers, because they were scattered all over the area. Easily, the most I’ve ever seen of the iconic brand in one place.

Gold King Mine is a gear heads paradise. A 100 year old sawmill is now powered by a 1943 submarine engine. You can buy huge slabs of wood, if you are in the market for a new dining room table.

Walk among the ruins, take pictures, enjoy the memories. We had a herd of mule deer saunter by us on a trail above the mine. Just be careful of the abandoned mine shafts, resting rattlesnakes and the free ranging chickens and goats.

I’m here on earth to save this beautiful old machinery from a horrible death. I get it running and show people so they can appreciate it.”— Don Robertson

Described as a “prehistoric, high-rise apartment complex”, Montezuma Castle was occupied by the Sinagua people between the years 1100 and 1425 AD. The National Monument is located near the present town of Camp Verde, AZ.

The dwelling was built in an alcove, 90 feet up a limestone cliff, and looks out over Beaver Creek. Montezuma Castle is known as one of the best preserved cliff dwellings in North America. At its peak, the Castle housed between 30-50 people in 20 rooms.

Montezuma Site A

Just west of the Castle, is Site A, or Castle A. These ruins show where a much larger dwelling once stood. It consisted of 45 rooms in a 5 story structure. It was destroyed by fire, possibly after it was abandoned. The small caves are actually “rooms”. Some brickwork can still be seen.

Beaver Creek

The site was designated a National Monument in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt.

Montezuma Castle in 1929. Notice the ladders propped against the limestone cliff allowing access to the rooms.

The monument, established by President Roosevelt in 1907, is home to the remnants of two cliff dwellings. We were able to climb up to the most visible of the two. The second one is by ranger-guided tour only, and we were too late in the day for that.

The community appeared around 1300 A.D., and was home to the Salado Indians. The ruins overlook, what was the Salt River, and what is now Roosevelt Lake. The fertile flood plain was well irrigated, and a natural place to grow the community’s crops.

The Lower Ruin

The Lower Ruin originally contained 19 rooms. The surfaces are worn smooth, and the ceiling rocks are loaded with the soot from ancient fires. The Upper Ruin is quite a bit larger, with 40 rooms. The hike to get there is also longer at 3 miles round trip.

Looking at the photographs of the ruins over the years, show remarkable changes. When the Roosevelt Dam was built, workers would visit the ruins and take souvenirs. By the time Arizona became a state in 1912, the Southern Pacific Railroad constructed a hotel near the dam. Tours were given to the cliff dwellings, and, in an attempt to make access to the ruin interior easier, a wall was blown up. The Tonto Cliff Dwellings suffered more damage and loss in the 1920’s and early 1930’s than during the previous 600 years.